Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-04-18
MisfeIlaneDus.
Soil Improvement.

tural chemistry at Harvard University, il
his remarkable treatise on that subject
just published. states that one OF the
| limitations to which most commercial fer
tilizers are subject was most clearly indi
Gated at the experimental plots atthe farm
of the Bussev Institution. The plan was
there tried of trying to recuperate with
chemicals field of rather poor land
after variety of experiments had been
made upon it during term of years
with special artificial fertilizers. 1t was
discovered by those experiments that il
was not an easy matter to mix some OIL
the artificial fertilizers properly with the
soil. With the exception of the super
phosphate of lime and nitrate of soda,
the fertilizers appeared to be fixed for the
most part where they fell upon the
exhausted soil-that is to say, they became
combined with, or became locked Up by
other chemical agents in the soil. and
were therefore not available by the
plants, and could do nothing towards re-
storing the exhausted soil to a condition
of fertility. Prof. Storer further says
that it seemed as if the subsequent crops
had to struggle with streaks and seam.
Of poor soil interspersed with streaks OF
soil that were over-rich in respect to one
or another kind of fertilizing agent.
The result OF these experiments seemed
TO show four practical as well as scientific
facts-or in other words facts which have
a scientific relation.
L. They gave good proof of the
fallacy of soil analysis, of which many
scientific quacks make great hobby. If
farmer wants to know the soil of par
tlcular field, in order to fertilize it intelli-
gently, and thinks he will have an analy-
sis of it, he will see how unreliable such
analysis must be; for if taken from one part
OF the field, the analysis would be no
evidence whatever that another portion OF
the same field was at all, in chemical
characteristics, like that which had been
analysed. Prof. Storer found "streaks''
and seams of soil in one part of the
held-which mean small veins or patches,
as farmers say-that were totally unlike
'streaks" and ''seams" of soil in another
part of the same field. Soil analysis is
not guide to the condition or measure o.
fertility of piece Of soil, as an ordinary
field, it so differs in composition within s
few rods, or even few feet.
2. That the blowing in of green crops
may have real merit as a means of restor
ing worn-out soils, considered simply as g
means of distributing the fertilizing ele
ments, or in other words of placing them
where they will do the most good.
3. They indicate to what fine degree
is soil influenced by the manner in which
it IS worked; and this is a principle in
practical tillage which is becoming better
and better understood. Clay soils, clay
loan and sandy-loam soils, tight friable
soils, and moist humus soils. each require
different treatment in tillage. If the
stiff clay is handled when wet it will
bake; but the friable loan evaporates
moisture rapidly and may be moved if a
little wet without injury, possibly to ad-
vantage. Such soil lacks adhesveness
and a greater compactness might be given
by working it in suitable condition,
which condition each farmer must ascertain
tor himself by observation and study.
4. That the main reliance of all per-
mlnent soil improvement. or for refresh
ing and invigoraling all kinds of WORKOUT
or exhausted soils-whether made SO by
continuous cropping with one crop, or re-
peated fertilizing with artificial fertilizers
is that old-tashioned, substantial, un-
failing agent iarm-yard manure, cattle
dung. The farmer cannot have too much
OF it, he can apply it to no soil which it
will not improve and benefit.